I've not posted for a few weeks so thought I would let you know how things are going - espeicially as I check this forum regularly and there are so many great posts.

The main thing is I'm really enjoying the programme. It's building up slowly but surely and I've not yet had any real soreness and complete exhaustion which was the aftermath of previous attempts to run.

Having said that... such was my enthusiasm for post run stretching I did manage to strain my back (felt a muscle ping a bit while attempting a hamstring stretch, but nothing too serious) which meant I had to take a week off the running. Another lesson learnt (... or not... see my first post on over doing it!).

Fortunately, the back strain coincided with a planned few days away where Mrs Onda did some wonderful long walks, which kept my fitness ticking over, and let my back recover.

The good news is, I'm on the road again and just finished wk 4 run 3, so almost half way through. I've already got some satisfaction of getting this far and am still motivated. I found the last 5min run quite tough in the Wk 4 pod cast tough, but I think it got easier on the 3rd run of the week (a good run day!).

So a few notes of my experiences to date:

- Morning runs, pre work - bit daunting to get out of bed 45minutes early to run... but well worth it. Wakes you up and sets you up for the day. I now understand why people do it, which before seemed unfathomly daft to me!

- Hills - unavoidable as I live in a lumpy bit of North Wales, so I'm getting used to them! I've no choice but to not be too bothered by them, so I just try and keep my effort rather than speed consistent (ie result very slow up hills, relatively faster down!)

- C25K Podcasts - I think they are great, they skillfully provide the structure, encouragement, and progress required I need to keep motivated. So well done all who produced the podcasts (...if you ever read this). Music selection is also interesting... I'm sure some songs have been heavily inspired by others in a "we'd like to play the original, but don't want to pay the royalties" kind of way. Being a bit a of a muso I find this a good distraction when I'm puffing away... but I may be the only one thinking this!

- Running kit - like others on here I find myself drawn, trance like, to running apparel web sites and browsing (usually for too long) such delights as breathable, high viz, long sleeved. winter running tops, and rain proof caps etc. I did buy some Ron Hill tracksters to counter the autumn chill which are great. Trying to resist other purchases until graduation...

- goals - Its easy to get ahead of yourself, but it's important to have goals. I think short term is to, erm... , graduate. After graduating I'd like to do the local 5k Park Run. I'll try and build my speed up a bit a week or two after graduating for this. Looking forward to this and but don't intend to have a time target - I'll use this Park Run as a benchmark.

- Stretch goal... I would love to build up to a 10K through the stepping stones for spring...Note to self: your only on week 5.... Nothing beyond that at present that I'm prepared to post on....

- Well being - feel great I've set myself a goal and am determined to finish, and most importantly, I'm enyoing it. I actually feel better physically and generally more positive. Not that I was particlarly negative, but maybe I've become a slightly better version of myself thanks to the exercise. My main motivation for starting was to help with weight loss (lost ~1.5 stone since late August) and maybe bring my cholesterol and blood pressure down a bit. I have a doctors appointment in a few weeks so will see whether the changes have yet yielded measurable benefits... won't get too strung out on this as I know I'm heading in the right direction, and it's only been a couple of months since I made some changes.

Thanks all for reading! I find everyones stories interesting and motivating, and there are so many some wonderful, positive characters on here (you know who you are! :-)).

And to those relative new comers, like me, who are yet to graduate - let's get this done, keep on keeping on!